Auction lot’s Brooks Boulevardentrance deemed too small
By:Alec Moore
Manville is getting ready to crack down on truck drivers who enter, and exit, the Adesa Auto Auction property through the Brooks Boulevard entranceway.
According to borough officials, car carriers and other large trucks driving onto the Adesa property located on North Main Street between Reading Cinema and the Wal-Mart shopping plaza are required by borough zoning law to enter the property via the Dukes Parkway entranceway.
Borough officials say the Dukes Parkway entranceway offers a wider turning radius for large trucks, one that allows them to adequately enter the property without impeding traffic stopped at the Dukes Parkway, North Main Street intersection. Officials say the shorter turning radius at the Brooks Boulevard, North Main Street intersection does not allow enough space for large trucks to adequately negotiate the turn into or out of the shopping plaza.
"Eventually there could be a serious accident there," Mayor Angelo Corradino said, referring to the Brooks Boulevard – North Main Street intersection.
During previous discussions on the issue, the mayor, council and police chief have made clear that the truck drivers are not committing traffic violations by using Brooks Boulevard to enter and exit the property, but rather a zoning violation.
In response to the traffic problem, Mayor Corradino has proposed that the borough’s zoning office and police team up to put a stop to the problem by stopping trucks entering the property improperly and then issuing zoning violations summonses to drivers.
"By putting a zoning officer and a police officer together, then I think we can address the problem," said the mayor. "Hopefully if we do that a couple of times the truck drivers will figure out the way to go."
The mayor emphasized that he does not blame Adesa officials for the truck driver’s improperly entering the Adesa property. "It’s not that Adesa isn’t cooperating," he said. "I know that they’ve talked to their drivers until they’re blue in the face."
Manville Police Chief John Petrovic stated that his department will abide by the wishes of the mayor and council.
"This isn’t a high priority problem but it is something we have to address," said Chief Petrovic. "We’ll abide by the mayor and council’s decision and we’re planning to speak to Adesa, also."
Chief Petrovic added that improved signage alerting truck drivers to the fact that they should be using the Dukes Parkway entranceway instead of the Brooks Boulevard one should also help to alleviate the problem.
Adesa officials did not respond to a phone call for comment by press time.

